Tuesday, February 28, is Free Pancake Day at IHOP, when each customer is welcomed to a short stack of buttermilk pancakes on the house.

On Free Pancake Day, guests are asked to make a donation in lieu of paying IHOP for their short stack. It’s an annual event that raises money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and other charities.

IHOP has raised nearly $8 million for charities since it first started hosting Free Pancake Day, and this year the restaurant chain is hoping to gather $2.7 million with the help of its customers.

Also, coming soon on the freebie front:

Auntie Anne’s Free Pretzel Day: On Saturday, March 3, customers at Auntie Anne’s locations are welcomed to a free pretzel—choice of Original or Sugar Cinnamon—from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day: Tune in to find out which day the ice cream makers will choose for their annual Free Cone Day event. It’s usually held toward the end of March, but the date for the 2012 Cone Day has yet to be announced.